I added some rules on maximum experience levels for characters. These are not set in stone, but rather recommendations. ((Maximum exp spent on skills and perks: 600 for high powered games (roughly level 30), and 400 for medium powered games. (roughly level 20) With an additional 100 to 200 exp for values.))

With the new maximum experience cap, I also added some optional rules for spending experience to undo old expenditures and re-spend them in places that make more sense. (Allowing players who spent experience in places they regret to alleviate those issues.) As well as the possibility of spending experience to improve minions.

I went back over how resources work and I tried to streamline the various rules that relate to them. They are now broken down into three basic uses, and I've added some information into the core rules document to help clarify this, as it was admittedly confusing.

• Social tests, Magic modifiers: Values increase or decrease the Target Number, depending on whether they are making something easier for themselves, or more difficult for an opponent. For social tests, this is simply a matter of using the value as a TN bonus during the appropriate test. For magic modifiers, they reduce certain difficulty modifiers by an equal amount. (This also counts when dealing with the effects of permanent magic.)• Assistance tests: Values can increase the number of dice exchanged in assistance tests.• Mental Stress: Values can be used as mental health points, which can cause problems for characters when they go into negatives. Negative Values are caused by mental attacks and mental stress, and are used against the character by the GM. (The optional rule for using Values as a resource in non-social situations uses this method, similar to sacrificing energy or health.)

Also, as a game balance issue, I reduced the default maximum from 20 to 15. After playing the game for a while, I've realized that after rating 10, many of the advantages of Values start seeing diminishing returns. Having a 20 doesn't help much more than having a 15, and I don't want people to feel like they're obliged to spend the points on something that isn't very helpful.

The rules for giving commands have also been expanded on. I had the rules written down in my local notes, but unfortunately failed to transfer them over to the online rule book.

((I'm still looking into possible changes to Active Dodge and Observe Carefully, but a solution is proving to be elusive.))

I'm experimenting with making some slight changes to the way Expression works when attempting to influence or bolster another character. Like the way Strength currently improves a character's base melee damage, I am going to try using Charisma to determine the base Values Damage of an influence attempt.

I think this will help make Expression more useful, while hopefully not making it overpowered. It will take some playtesting to find out if this was a good idea or not though.

I've added an optional rule for energy, for GMs who use a more abstract method of timekeeping. Rather than having a large pool of energy that is supposed to last the duration of an adventure, the GM may choose to give each character a smaller pool of energy that refreshes automatically every scene. ((I will continue to investigate whether or not the primary rules for energy are properly balanced, but it seems that non-casters may need more options to spend it.))

Also: after agonizing over the melee weapon rules, I've come to the conclusion that the only way to balance them in a fashion similar to their video game counterparts is to add modifiers for weapon classes. Currently I've added a class for blunt weapons, which doubles their weight, but allows them to have up to a -10 complexity. (ie, they are easier to repair than weapons that require a precision blade, or whatever.)

I've been working on rules for construction times for gear and vehicles, but had been comparing two competing methods until just recently. In another thread, someone asked for clarification and so I added some preliminary rules for gear and vehicle construction times. The base construction time is based on the build rating of the weapon/armor, or size category of the vehicle, and can be reduced with margin of success.

The alternate method, which I am still considering if this current preliminary method turns out to be broken, involves using the time progression used in the Sustaining Magic table. Every five margin of success would then stage the time down one step, or on a bad roll, a character could use margin of failure to stage up the time and still succeed as a costly action.

sounds interesting, do you make construction times realistic or more... "Gamey" can I make a turret in a few seconds like in most games or does it take me the better part of the day or even a few days?

Well, it depends on what you mean. If you were simply setting up a turret that you already had in your saddlebags, that would be something you could do in a combat turn. (unfold the legs, plop it down, and press some buttons.) If you are constructing a turret from spare parts on a workbench, then it would depend on the size. It could take a half an hour, or with a really good roll, it might take a minute.

So to answer your question: yes to both. The default time is meant to be plausible in reality, but exceptional success and magic can produce fantastic results.

The gear maker spreadsheet has been updated with a gadgets tab. Gadgets cover all the little items that provide small bonuses or modifiers. This is the first draft, and will undoubtedly need tweaking after it is tested more thoroughly, and new options are devised. All new pieces of gear should still be approved by the GM, as these sheets are not proof against munchkins, and some common sense should probably still be observed.

(Also by request, rules for playing breezies are now in the optional races document. Breezies are for people looking for a challenge, as they have significant physical limitations. It ain't easy being breezies.)

The Vehicles tab on the Gear Maker spreadsheet has undergone a massive revision. It is now significantly more streamlined, and hopefully easier to read/understand. Build Rating and Scarcity stats will be added as soon as I figure out how to balance them for vehicles.

I've added more concrete rules for setting traps and other tamper-resistant devices, in the Sabotage skill section.

Also, after going through the spell list, I discovered that I had two different ways of handling overflow damage and emergency resuscitation, so I have added a more definitive explanation of overflow health into the basic damage section of the rules, and re-factored the magic spells to fit. (Namely the Revive and Life Surge spells.)